Chair or similar article of furniture



Nov. 17, 19.42. J. R. GREENO EI'AL 2,302,387

CHAIR 0R SIMILAR ARTICLE OF FURNITURE Filed May 4, 1940 positions.

Patented Nov. 17, 1942 UNITED srar ear @FFICE asoaasv CHAR? 0R SEMIFLAR ARTICLE OF FURNITURE tion of Ohio Application May 4,

3 Claims.

This invention relates to a hanger fixture for chairs or similar articles of furniture, for swingingly mounting a seat, or a seat and a back as a unit, to a base frame, and adapting the seat unit to be locked to hold the same stationary in a normal or one of several reclining positions.

A pair of hanger fixtures of duplicate construction are employed for a chair, interconnected by a lock controlling bar actuated by a handle fixed to one or both ends thereof, and accessible from one or both sides of the chair. Each hanger fixture preferably constitutes a pair of normally parallel bars joined relatively at each of their opposite ends by links pivotally connected thereto. One of the parallel bars is fixed to the base frame of the chair and the other to the seat frame at relative different elevations to suspendingly swingingly sustain the seat. Means are provided, connected to the bars intermediate of their link connected ends, to rigidly lock thesame against relative movement, and thereby hold the seat stationary in a normal or one of several inclined The fixtures are adapted for use with various types of swinging articles of furniture, as chairs, settees, couches, and the like, either upholstered or non-upholstered type, wood or steel, the detail of seat and base frame structure forming no part of the present invention.

An object of the invention is to provide hanger fixtures for swingingly supporting a seat of an article of furniture and adapted to be locked to various adjusted positions for holding the seat stationary in a normal or one of various inclined positions controlled and operated from one or both sides of the chair or article of furniture.

'Another object of the invention is to provide hanger fixtures of simple and inexpensive construction as articles of commerce, readily applicable into an article of furniture of a chair type for swingingly suspending the seat from a relatively stationary support, and adapted to be locked to hold the seat stationary in a normal or various inclined positions.

Various other features and objects of the invention Will be more fully apparent from a description of the accompanying drawing, in

which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation, illustrating the fix ture embodied in a chair, the fixture in unlatched position sustaining the chair in a normal seating position for swinging. a

Figure 2 is a View similar to Figure 1,. showing the fixture latched in a fixed canted position sustaining the chair in a reclining position.

1940, Serial No. 333,330

"fines cf the box underframe of the seat. hanger fixtures are therefore interposed between the adjoining Figure 3 is a section taken on line 8-3, Figure 1.

Figure 4 is an enlarged side elevation ofthe fixture illustrating the movement of the latching mechanism in looking the fixture.

Figure 5 is an enlarged section taken on line 5-5, Figure 1.

Figure 6 is a sectional view taken on line 6-6, Figure 1.

The fixtures are adapted for various types 0 furniture, and for the purpose of exemplification a conventional upholstered type of chair has been selected, in which a pair of fixtures duplicate construction are employed primarily for balance and stability. It is obvious, however, that the locking instrumentalities for holding the seat to a stationary, normal or inclined position may be included in only one of the fixtures.

Int-he duplicate form, each fixtuze constitutes a pair of bars-i, 2, preferably of angle form and arranged normally in approximaie parallelism, and connected together at their opposite ends by a pair of links 3, 3, pivotally connected each at its opposite ends'respectively to thebars. The employment of an angle form of bar is of an advantage in its application over an edge of a wood rail of the framework of either the chair. seat or the chair base, although the style of cross section configuration of the bar is optional,

The bars preferably are of different length, with the bar 2 which connects Withthe seat frame the smaller of the two for the purpose of governingandlimiting the swing of the seat, and which ina rearward direction of swing is arrested by a stop 4 projecting laterally from the bar 1, with which the forward connecting link of the bar of links engages. This is to prevent an excessive degree of rearward swing or recline of the seat, whichwould over-balance .it from the basefranoe and cause an upsetting of the chair.

The fixture is being shown applied to an upholstered type of chair, housed within a box form of underframe 5 of a combined seat and back unit 6, and supported upon a relatively staticnary base frame 1', likewise within the con- The side rails of the seat and base frames.

The base comprises a framework 1 having a pair, of side rails 8, each provided with a pair of legs 5) as front and back. The base frame is of ancient to elevate the bars I of the hangers fixed to the upper edge of the side rails for suspendingly supporting the side frame with the bars 2 of the hangers fixed to the lower edge of the side rails In of the seat frame. Thereby, the hangers are interposed within the spacing between the adjacent side rails of the base and seat frames, and thus housed by the seat frame. The framing being of Wood, the angle bars I and 2 are secured to the rails by wood screws traversing the horizontal limb-s of the bars.

In a normal position of the seat while at rest, it is substantially horizontal with the bars I and 2 of the hangers relatively parallel, and the seat free to be swung back and forth by the occupant. The particular bar and link arrangement permits the seat to cant or tilt to an inclined or reclining position in its rearward swing.

Each fixture is provided with a selective latching device for locking the chair either in a level or a normal Seating position, or in one of several adjustable or reclining positions. The locking device comprises a latch bar II pivotally connected at its lower end to the bar 2 for cooperation with a latch plate I2 secured to the upper bar. The latch bar carries a latch pin I3 intermediate its length for a selective locking engagement with one of a series of notches I4 formed in the lower edge of the latch plate. The upper end of the latch bar II is pivotally connected by means of a pin I5 to a crank I6 keyed upon a cross rod I I, preferably of square cross section for a non-rotative connection with the crank. The cross rod extends between and through the opposite side frames 5, 5 of the chair, and one or both of its ends may be provided with an actuating handle I8 for manual operation of the locking device.

The cross rod I I to which the crank arm I 6 and handle I8 as an integral unit is fixed, is journaled in the side frames 5, 5 through which the rod extends, and as the side frames are usually of wood, a metal bushing or sleeve I9, as shown in dotted lines, Figure 5, may be employed to provide a more substantial journal.

The latch bar I I, pivoted at its lower end to the bar 2 and supported at its upper end by crank I6, moves bodily with the seat relative to the stationary latch plate when the seat is rocked or tilted. In unlatched position, the latch pin I3 extending laterally from the inner side of the latch bar II is disposed just below and clearof the curved lower edge of the latch plate I2, the

edge of the plate being curved on an arc corresponding to the path of travel described by the latch pin when the chair is rocked, so that the pin traverses the plate without interference.

The latch bar II in an unlatched position holds the latch pin I3 clear of the plate for a free swing or rocking of seat, as shown in Figure 1. To look the chair stationary and in a selected inclined position, the occupant swings the chair to the desired tilt, then moves the handle I8 and its integral crank arm I6 in an appropriate direction for approximately a quarter turn, to swing the latch bar I I upwardly bringing the latch pin I3 into locking engagement with an appropriate notch I 4 corresponding to the position of the chair, as shown in Figure 2 the latch pin I3 being engaged with the uppermost notch I4 of the series of notches.

The latch pin swings on a radius as determined by the upper pivot point of the latch bar. In order to facilitate engagement with the respective notches I4, the notches are formed on an arc corresponding to the radial swing of the latch pin as determined by the successive positions of the swinging rail.

The seat is retained in tilted position, and sustained by the fixed latch plate, the latch bar forming a link connection between the plate and the bar 2 by the notch engagement of the latch pin. The latching mechanism is in duplicate for the respective opposite sides of the chair, actuated simultaneously by the cross rod extended across the chair, and serving both sides of the chair upon actuation of the handle.

The latch pin I3 is held in notch engagement by the crank arm I6 moved to one side of a dead central position with the latch bar, in which position it is sustained against self-dislodgment. In a dead central position the axis of the rod II, crank arm I6, pivotal connection I5 and the upper part of the link I I from the latch pin I3 are in a straight line. As shown in full lines, Figure 4, the crank arm I6 is moved to the right of the dead central position which elevates the latch pin into engagement with a notch I4 of the latch plate I2, and the parts are held in such position by the forward pressure of the seat, as the seat is locked in an inclined position and held against forward swing by the lower portion of the latch bar I I which acts as a brace. Alternately moving the crank arm I6 to the left or relative opposite sides of the dead central position, as shown in dot and dash lines, Figure 4, the latch pin I3 is lowered to clear the latch plate I2 and the Weight and inclination of the latch bar I I serves to selfsustain the parts in a normally released or nonlatched position. In the present embodiment, the latch plate is illustrated as provided with a series of five notches, providing five fixed adjustable positions of the chair. It will be apparent that the notch spacing may be varied to provide a greater or lesser number of adjustment positions if this is desired.

The elements of the locking mechanism may be directly applied relatively to the seat and base as independent from the hanger organization for installations, wherein the supporting bars are eliminated and the opposite ends of the hanger links are more directly and separately applied to the seat and base. In either instance, however, it is desirable to have th ends of the links pivotally connected to the seat inwardly and at reduced spacing apart from that of the opposite ends of the links pivotally connected with the base frame to limit the swing of the seat to avoid excessive back swing.

Having described our invention, we claim:

1. A hanger for swingingly supporting a seat for a chair or like article of furniture, comprising: a pair of parallel bars, one for horizontal attachment to a relatively stationary support and the other to a seat, a pair of links extending between and pivotally connected to said bars, a latch plate fixed to one of said bars and extended between the bars, a latch pivoted at one end and on the second of said bars having means for a latching connection with means on said plate at one of several points to lock said parts together as a rigid unit, and a crank handle pivotally mounted to a side of the chair seat having a crank arm in pivotal connection with the other end of said latch for moving the means on the latch into latching engagement with the means on said latch plate to lock the seat in a reclining position.

2. A chair seat and base frame in combination with a pair of hangers for swingingly supporting a seat to the base frame, each hanger, comprising: a pair of parallel bars, one for horizontal attachment to the one side of the base frame and the other to one side of the seat, a pair of links extending between and pivotally connected to said bars, a latch plate fixed to one of said bars and extended between the bars, a latch pivoted at one end on the second of said bars having means providing a latching connection with means on said plate at one of several points to lock said attachment to a relative stationary support and the other to a seat, a pair of links extending between and pivotally connected to said bars, a latch plate fixed to one of said bars and extending between said bars, the latch plate having an arced edge with a series of spaced notches inward from said arced edge, a latch bar pivotally connected at one end on said second of said bars and having means movable for latching connection with a selected notch of said latch plate for locking said parts together as a rigid unit and thereby holding the seat of the chair stationary and in a reclining position and means pivotally connected with the other end of the latch bar and adapted to be mounted upon the seat for actuating said latch bar.

JOHN R. GREENO. THEODORE R. SCHOTT. 

